Iconic Performances Create Five Best Rookie Seasons In Bruins History

In the 100-year history of the Boston Bruins, several standout players have set the tone for their careers with strong rookie campaigns.

In total, the Bruins have had eight players in their history win the Calder Trophy, annually awarded to a standout rookie.

From talented scorers to disciplined goaltenders, here are the top five rookie seasons in Bruins history, in this case with a quintet of Calder winners:

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– Bobby Orr (1966-67)
Arguably the most iconic star in Bruins history, Orr’s legendary career in Boston began with an impact rookie season. Orr instantly stepped up at the blue line, finishing third in the running for the Norris Trophy, annually given to the league’s best all-around defenseman.

Orr found the back of the net 13 times with 28 assists in a 41-point campaign. On a Boston team that won just 17 games that season, Orr gave intrigue for the future of the Bruins, winning a pair of Stanley Cup championships to start the 1970s.

– Andrew Raycroft (2003-04)
Raycroft put together an excellent performance between the pipes in his first full season in the NHL.

The Boston netminder went 29-18-9 while posting a 2.05 GAA in 57 games for the Bruins. With a .926 save percentage, Raycroft’s consistently allowed him to earn a selection to the All-NHL Rookie Team and help the Bruins win the Northeast division.

– Frank Brimsek (1938-39)
At 23 years old, Brimsek dominated in net for the Bruins en route to a Stanley Cup title over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brimsek went 33-9-1 with 10 shutouts on the season with an impressive 1.56 GAA, leading all goaltenders in several categories. In a championship season, Brimsek offered a stable foundation to build on around the roster. In the five-game series against Toronto, the Boston goalie allowed just six total goals.

The future Hall of Famer only improved after his outstanding rookie season, winning a pair of Vezina Trophy honors in eight straight All-Star selections with the Bruins.

– Ray Bourque (1979-80)
The first of 22 NHL seasons was quite the productive season for Bourque. The Bruins defenseman finished fourth for the Norris Trophy while scoring 17 goals with a +17 plus-minus rating.

Bourque boosted the Bruins in a solid season with 46 wins and set the tone to build a historic resume. In 21 seasons with Boston, the defenseman scored 395 goals with over 1,500 points as a staple of the franchise’s history.

The Hall of Famer did reach the ultimate goal in 2001, winning the Stanley Cup in his final NHL season with the Colorado Avalanche.

– Sergei Samsonov (1997-98)
After the Bruins selected the Russian forward with the No. 8 overall pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Samsonov rewarded Boston with a strong introduction.

Playing in 81 games, Samsonov recorded 22 goals while assisting on 25 more in a 47-point rookie campaign. Averaging just shy of 15 minutes of ice time per game, the Bruins forward offered consistency in his first NHL season.

Samsonov went on to play the first eight seasons of his NHL career with the Bruins, tallying 164 goals.